I trusted Tom Brokaw to make the news survivable.

[shereads]

Hate to see Brokaw retire from NBC. No matter what disastrous news he delivered, I knew we'd survive it because Brokaw wasn't afraid. Dan Rather scared the daylights out of me, because I could tell he was as scared as I was and I was really really scared.

Brokaw was my news-pilot, my news-neurosurgeon. Steady as a rock. Gravitas when appropriate. Panic, never. Almost forgiven for inexplicable comment about the 2004 election (It was "an affirming experience?" Affirming of what? Twit-points for that, Tom.)

I like Brian Williams, but am I safe with his news?

 

[Guest]

Hate to see Brokaw retire from NBC. No matter what disastrous news he delivered, I knew we'd survive it because Brokaw wasn't afraid. Dan Rather scared the daylights out of me, because I could tell he was as scared as I was. Brokaw was my news-pilot, my news-neurosurgeon: steady as a rock. I like Brian Williamjs, but am I safe with his news?

entirely quirky on my end however, Brokaw seems really tired to me... safe though you feel with his reporting...i think the time has come...and is that an oxygen tank he has stored beneath his desk?...that breathing has me a tad worried.

are we really safe with any news? dont think so... its all very slanted in any case.

 

[china-doll]

I grew up watching Tom on the news everynight. Somehow I just can't picture the evening news without him.

Probably better off not watching the news anymore anyway, it's always so depressing.

 

[rgraham666]

I don't watch TV anymore, so I can't say.

 

[shereads]

Re: Re: I trusted Tom Brokaw to make the news survivable.

are we really safe with any news? dont think so... its all very slanted in any case.

Stop that! Brokaw has two more days left and you're scaring me already.

The timing couldn't be worse. We're drowning in neocons and paperless voting machines and the Russians are coming and Brokaw will be God-knows-where when Brian Williams has an on-air nervous breakdown like Howard Beale in Paddy Cheyevsky's "Network."

You did see "Network," didn't you? Retiring news anchorman Beale has a full-fledged, raving breakdown on the air, after delivering the evening news for the last time. It's a ratings winner. The network creates a program just for Beale, where once a week, live on prime-time television, he's encouraged to rant until his face turns red and he passes out (Imagine O'Riley but with a conscience.) When the novelty wears off and the show's ratings take a nose-dive, the network arranges for an assasin to take Beale out on the air.

Reality television was born in that movie. Seemed pretty far-fetched in 1976.



"I want you all to unplug your TV sets right now, and go to your windows and scream as loud as you can, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!'"

~ Peter Finch as Howard Beale

 

[china-doll]

Re: Re: Re: I trusted Tom Brokaw to make the news survivable.

"I want you all to unplug your TV sets right now, and go to your windows and scream as loud as you can, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!'"

~ William Holden as Howard Beale

I always wondered where that line came from. Now I have to go rent the movie.

 

[shereads]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I trusted Tom Brokaw to make the news survivable.

I always wondered where that line came from. Now I have to go rent the movie.

Oh, do! Wonderful film. To appreciate how far ahead of its time "Network" was, you will have to remind yourself that there was no such thing as a ranting talk-radio whore like Limbaugh back then, and there was no Fox News, and there was no such thing as reality television where people indulged themselves in on-air fits of dudgeon and were revered for it. Didn't happen. Pure fiction.

Brilliant film. Nine Oscar nominations. Co-Oscars for William Holden and Peter Finch, and one each for Faye Dunaway, Beatrice Straight, Ned Beatty and director Sidney Lumet. Nothing for Robert Duvall. I'll bet he was mad as hell.

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1800099643&cf=info&intl=us

 

[rgraham666]

And it all became true.

Why couldn't we have a movie that was fun come true. Like Independence Day?

 

[shereads]

"Wag the Dog" came close. Broke in theaters 2 weeks before Monicagate, and featured an eerily prescient photo of an adoring girl in a beret gazing up at the president.



The writer & producer both swore they didn't know a thing about Monica. I think they knew. There are no beret coincidences.

 

[Remec]

Hope you manage to get whatever therapy you need in dealing with your post-Brokaw experience. <g>

Me? I've never liked him...I think it was his delivery. I've always watched/preferred Peter Jennings. (Rather has always seemed sort of, i dunno, shifty...<shrug>)

 

[logophile]

Hi all,

Little red faced here to be showing my ignorance, but my TV broke several months ago and I haven't replaced it. I had heard in passing that Dan Rather was stepping down, but now Tom Brokaw too? Would anyone be willing to give me a quick run down on what happened? I know, I could do a quick google news search but it would mean so much more coming from real (?) people! Thanks so much!

 

[shereads]

Congratulations on your broken TV set. Brokaw's retirement was announced last year, and Wednesday will be his last evening news broadcast. Rather, I haven't been sure about since "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" (That tidbit is worth a google.)

 

[logophile]

Congratulations on your broken TV set.

Yeah, thanks. I don't think I'm going to worry about getting a new one. Me and the kids haven't really missed it much. We have an old one that I can hook the VCR up to in a pinch and have family movie night. That's about all we really need!

 

[Evil Alpaca]

But we have nothing to worry about! We still have FOX Cable News! There fair and unbiased, right?!?

I feel very . . . very dirty right now. I need to watch 90-second pop on CNN again and have a doughnut.

 

[shereads]

But we have nothing to worry about! We still have FOX Cable News! There fair and unbiased, right?!?

I feel very . . . very dirty right now. I need to watch 90-second pop on CNN again and have a doughnut.

Pervert.

 

[impressive]

There are no beret coincidences.

Brilliant!

 

[Evil Alpaca]

Pervert.

Why? Just because I wait in breathless anticipation for Bill O'Reilly to call me an whisper naughty things into the telephone and . . .

Okay, now I feel REALLY dirty. Maybe I'll just watch the Daily Show from now on.